---
title: "SFTP Data Source Template"
slug: "sftp-data-source-template"
updated: 2026-04-08T18:49:31Z
published: 2026-04-08T18:49:31Z
canonical: "docs.validatar.com/sftp-data-source-template"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.validatar.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# SFTP Data Source Template

## Overview

The SFTP data source template enables Validatar to discover and profile data files on remote servers accessible via SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol). It uses Python scripts with the `paramiko` library to connect, list files, and read data for metadata discovery and profiling.

**Platform:** SFTP servers **Connection Category:** Script **Template Category:** Marketplace

## What's Included

### Default Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `hostname` | String | SFTP server hostname or IP |
| `port` | Integer | SFTP port (default: 22) |
| `username` | String | SFTP username |
| `password` | Secret | SFTP password |
| `private_key_path` | String | Path to SSH private key (alternative to password) |
| `remote_directory` | String | Root directory to scan |
| `file_pattern` | String | Glob pattern for file matching |

### Data Type Mappings

Maps inferred types from file headers (CSV, delimited files).

## Metadata Ingestion

The ingestion script:

- Connects to the SFTP server
- Lists files matching the pattern in the remote directory
- Downloads file headers to discover column names
- Remote directories become schemas, files become tables

## Profiling

The profiling script downloads sample data from remote files and calculates standard metrics.

## Installation

## Customization

- **Key-based authentication** — Configure SSH key authentication instead of passwords
- **Jump hosts** — Modify the script for bastion/jump host configurations
- **Compressed files** — Extend to handle gzip or zip compressed files

## Related Articles

- [What Is a Data Source Template?](/docs/what-is-a-data-source-template-overview)
- [Python Script Data Source Template](/docs/python-script-data-source-template)